Furnace-ignition device



May s, 1928. 1,668,859

D. H. M CORKLE FURNACE IGNITION DEVICE Filed June 8, 1925 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 flX/E/S/TOB DOA/A40 /7. MC 02/1 45, 52*

AITOR/S/EK May 8, 1928 D. H. MCORKLE FURNACE IGNITION DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v Filed June 8 1925 ad M ATTOR {EYT as May a. 1928.

DONALDYH. necomn, F BERKELEY,

amm's. To a. w. mmmson,

CALIFORNIA? ASSIGNOR, BY 'HESNE ASSIGN- OI CEUIIA VISTA, CALIFORNIA.

- FURNACE-1619111631 DEVICE Application filed June 3, 1925. lerial No. 35,899.

This invention relates to furnaces, and particularly to a furnace ignition device. In,'a floor furnace and like furnaces, it is common practice to provide an ignition debustion chamber, -1 to an induction C011 and a source of energy vice for igniting the as e ressin from a burner in the comhusti t m climber? Such a device is commonly provided in the form of means for providing a jump spark in a comthis means being connected such as batteries gr asmall transformer. Numerous devices have been designed which provide an arrangement for closing the spark circuit when the valve controlling the supated before fuel enters ply of fuel to the burner is opened. Such; devices are constructed so that the spark cir-' cuit is not closed until the valve is entirely or partly open. If the valve is opened slowly or is allowed to remain in partially open position, gas will accumulate in the combustion chamber, and when the valve is finally opened to a position where a spark is created will cause an explosion. It' is obvious that such an arrangement is very dangerous.

Itis an obj an ignition device which will generate a spark Before the valve is operated, which spark will continue until a time after the valve has been partially or completely opened. By such construction, a spark will be generthe combustion chamber and insures a continuous spark for a period of time after'the valve is opened; therefore, the fuel will have sutficient time to enter the burner and reach the combustion chamberwhile there is a spark therein regardless of degree valve is opened. A device of this character is very safe, there being absolutely no danger of explosion due to an accumulation of fuel in the combustion chamber.

It is also an object of my invention to provide in an ignition device of this character a means for causing a sparking an appreciable length of time after the valve is opened.

" -tages of my invention will be explained herehigh "1 illustrate w a preferred form of my utility of my invention.

ect of my inventionto provide Other objects and the particular advan-- Fig. 1 is a sectioned viewillustrating the Fig.2 is an enlarged view artially sectioned 'and contracted, this iew showing 65 an ignition device of my invention and. its association with a fuel control valve of a. furnace.

. Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, showing the contact arrangement of my invention.

In the drawings I. show afloor furnace having. an outer shell 12, an intermediate '56 shell 13 and an inner drum 14. At the upper end of these members 12, 13 and 14 is a register 15 which is secured to av floor 16, the shells 12 and 13 and the drum 14 projecting downwardly from the floor 16 between joists 70 17. Between the outer and intermediate shells 12and 13 is a cold air passage 19 and between the intermediate shell 13 and the drum 14 is a hot' air passage 20. The drum 14 provides a heat chamber 21. Extending 75 from the drum 14 is a flue 22 and provided at the lower part of the drum 14 is a combustion chamber 24 in the lower end of' which there is situated a burner 25. The burner 25- is supplied with fuel through a 3 pipe 26 having a fuel control valve 27 situated therein. A plug 29 of the valve 27 has a-recess 30 of rectangular cross section into which the lower rectangular end 31 of a control rod 32 extends. This rod 32 extends up- 5 wardly from the valve 27 through the cold air passage 19.

As shown in Fig. 2,.the upper end 340i the control rod 32 extends through a sleeve 35 of an end member 36 of an ignition de- 90 vice 37 of my invention. The end member 36 is secured in the lower end of a tubular 'shell 40 which is made from insulation material. Ahead 41 issecured in the upper end of the shell 40, this head 41 having a 95 flange 42 which rests in a recess 43 formed by a. wire 49 which connects between the bolt 47 of the contact and the outer shell 12. The contact 44 is connected to a terminal 50 of a transformer 51 by a wire 52which ex tends thereto from the bolt 47 of the contact 44. Any other source of energy such as a battery may-be substituted for the transformer 51, if desired.

From a terminal 54 of the transformer 51 a wire 55 extends to a terminal 56 of an induction coil 57. .The indiiction coil 57 is grounded by a wire 58 which extendstb the shell 12 of the furnace from a terminal 60.

From a terminal 61 of the induction coil 57 there extends a wire 62 to a post 63 of an ignitor in the form of a spark plug 64 which is secured to the drum 14 so that points 65 thereof. rest in the combustion chambers 24 adjacent to the burner 25.

.A cylindrical bar 66 of a key 67 isha'x-ftended into the chamber 46 through a cylindrical opening 69 formed in the head 41. The upperehd of the cylindrical bar 66 has a cross pin ,70 which serves as a" han'dl'e by which the key 67 is rotated. 'lhecylindrical bar 66 may be separated into two parts by an insulation spacer71 to prevent electricity from traveling to the portions of the key 67 which may be contacted by a persons hand.

lVhen the key is insertedin'to the chamber 46, the bar 66 engages free ends 7 3 of the contacts 44 and 45. As clearly shown in.

Fig. 4, these ends 73 of the contacts 44 and 45 have arcuated faces 74 which agree with the cylindrical shape'of the bar 66. The lower end of the bar 66 has a rectangular cavity 76 intowhich an'upper rectangular endr77 of the control bar 32 extends'when the key 67 is entirely inserted into the chamber 46. n

Pins 80and 81 extend from the bar 66in diametrically opposite directions and in offset relationship, the pin'86 being placed higher on the bar than the pin St A slot 62 as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is provided in the head 41 through which the pins 80 and 81 must pass when the key 67 is inserted into the chamber 46. From the drawings it is obvious "that the pin '81 must be aligned with the slot 82' and extended therethrough and...

then the key 67 must be rotated half a revo-' lution so that the pin 80 will align with the slot 82 after which the key is free to be moved into an entirely inserted position.

The operation of my invention is substantially as follows: j

l-Vhen it is desired to light the furnace, the control valve 27 must be opened by means of the control rod 32 which is rotated by the key 67. The 'ke 67 therefore-must be inserted into the c amber 46. The lower end of the bar 67 is passed through the opening 69 andthe pin 81 is aligned'with the slot 82. After the pin 81 passes through the slot 82, the key 67 isrotated half a revolution in or- I my inventl der to align the pin 80 with the slot 82. The key. may then be inserted so that the rectangulamformation 77 rests in the rectangular cavity 76. As clearlyshown in Fig. 2,1t will be seen that the lower end of the bar 66 engages the free ends 73 of the contacts 44 and 45 before the key is in entirelyinserted position. WhenRthe contacts 44 and 45 are engagedby the bar 66, the circuit is com: pleted and electricity is supplied to the-ignitor 64," producing {spark-in the combustion chamber" 24 between the points 65. After the key 67 is in entirely-inserted positiongit is rotated in order" to rotate the coir" t'rolrod 32 'andathe plug 29,'tl 1ll supplying fuel throughcethec pipe 26 to the bur'ncri25.

There is a continuous spa rk'in thecombus tion chamber 24 which was started before the be ignited;

fpel enters, and, upon the entrance of the 6 gas into the combustion chamber 24, .itwill After. the verve 1 isagitheagh key 61 may-be removed'f-rorir-place, In order to entirely rgmoge the key from the chamber 46,

this necessary firstto align the'upper. pin 86 "-90 '7 with the'slot 82, and after the'pin 80, has,"

passed therethrough-to rotate the key 67 and A align the'pin 81 with theslot 82. Thekey may then be.completelywithdrawn. This pin and slot construction is provided to'preas I vent the key from being too quickly removed from engagement with the contacts 44 andf45. This maintains a'supply of elec- Ttricity to the ignitor 64 and emaintai'ns aspark in thecombustion chamber 24 even;

after the valve has been operated} This'is a desirable factor of safety. :For"example, if the valve was onlyoil'cneda ,very slight 45, it might occur that the spark in the com- I bastion chamber 24 would cease before fuel released by the valve 27 reached the chamber. This would subsequently result in an accujinjulation of unignited fuel ill the combustion chamber and in the heat chamber 21 which, -gg is obvious, would be very dangerous and might result in a disastrous explosion.

From Fig. 2 it will be seen that the pin ,81 must be removed from the chamber 46 before the lower end of the bar 66 disengages the ronta'ct 44 and 45. The ignitor of 11 operates when the key 67 is inserted intothe chamber 46. It is not neces. sary to actuate the, valve 27 to obtain a spark in the combustion chamber 24. This feature of having a spark created by the insorting of the key and not by the operating of the valve is an important feature, due to in order to open the. valve 27.

- actuating said ignitor,

' fuel to said burner; an ignitor placed adja;v

said valve.

I claim as my invention: 4

1. In combination: a burner; a pipe for supplying fuel to said burner; a. valve in said pipe for controlling a passage of fuel therethrough to said burner; a key for removably engaging and opening sa d valve; an ignitor posltioned near said burner; and means for actuating said ignitor, said means being operated by said key slightly, before and during the time said valve is engaged by said key. V

2. In combination: a burner; a pipe for supplying fuel to said-burner; a valve in said pipe for controlling a passage of fuel therethroughto said burner; a'key for removably engaging and opening said valve; an ignitor positioned near said burner;- and means for said means being op-; erated'by said key slightly before-and during the time said valve is engaged by said; key and'slightly after said key disengages 3. In combination: a burner; a pipe for supplying fuel to said burner;- -a valve in said pipe line for controlling a supply of cent to said burner; a control rod through which said valve is operable; a key adapted to engage saidcontrol rod for operating said valve; and. means for automatically operat-ing said ignitor during anentire engagecontrol rod until an instant after said in contact with said control rod.

ment of said control red by said key.

4. In combination: a burner; a pipe for ,ease

said key serted into said housing and engage said control rod; and a pair of contacts in said housing said contacts bein placed in a circuit to s: id ignitor, ani' said contacts being engaged by said key before said key engages said control rod and being disengaged after disengages said control rod. 7

Q7. In combination: a burner; a pipe for supplying fuel tq said burner; 21 valve in said pipe line forcontrolling a sup 1y of fuel to said burner; an ignitor place adjacent to said burner; a controlrod'through which said valve is operable; a ky adapted to engage said contrgl rod' for operating said,

valve;'"and co ntacts associated with said ig: n1tor,; sa1d contactsibmg engage and diseng age by 'said key before and. after said key 1s m engagement=with said controljrod.

8. In combination: a( bu1"ne1';'-a pipe for supplyingfuel to said burher;*'a 'valve said pipeline" for controllinga supply offuel to said burner; an ignitor placed adjacentto saidburner; -acontrol rod extendng from said valve throngh which said valve is operated; a housing into which said.

control rod extends; a keyadaptedtobe inserted into said housing and engagesa'id control rod; a pair'ofcontacts in said housing, saidi'contactsbeing plaeedin a circuit to said-ignitor, and said contacts being en gaged by said keywvhen in said housing for operating said ignitor; and means for retarding the removal of said 'key from said supplying fuel to said burner; a valve in h I gsaid plpe line forcontrolling a, supply of fuel to said burner; an ignitor placed adjacent to said burner; a control rod through which said valve is operable; a key-adapted to engage said control rod foroperating said valve; and means for operating said ignitor from an instant before said key engages said key is 5. In combinationra burnerya pipe for supplying fuel to said burner; a valve-in said pipe linefor controlling a sup ly of fuel to said burner; an ignitorflpl acetfadja cent to said burner; a control rod extending from said valve through whichosaid valve is: operated rod extends; a key adapted to'be'inserted into said housing and engage said control rod; and a pair of contacts in said housing,

said contacts being placed in a circuit to said issuing from said burner; means for start-' ignitor, and said contacts being engaged by said key when in said housing for operating said ignitor. V 0- 6. In combination: a burner; a'pipe for supplying fuel to said burner; a valve in 9. In combination a burner; a pipe for ID", supplying-fuel .to said burner; a valve in, .c

sald pipe line for controlling a supplyfof fuel to said burner; an ignitorplaced adjacent to said burner; acontrol rod lthrough' which said valve is operable; a key adapted to engage said control rod for operating said valve; contacts associated with said ignitor, said contacts being engaged and disengaged by said key before and after said key is'in engagement with said control rod; and means for preventing said key from being Withdrawn quickly from engagement with said contacts. t Z

10. In combination: a. burner; a pipe for a housing into which said control supplying fuel to said burner;;a valve in saidplpe for-controlling a supply of fuel through said-pipe to said burner; means for operating said valve; an ignitor for fuel ing and'stoppi'ng the operation of said ignitor, said last'mentipned means bemgau tomatically actuated by said valve operatmg means to start the operation of said ignitor before the opening of said valve and thereafter to maintain theifgnitor in operation for a length oftime sli cientto allow fuel to issue fromsaid burner and be ignited by said ignitor.

a 11. In combination: a burner; a pipe; for

supplying fuel to said burner; a vaive in said pipe for controlling a supply of fuel through said pipe to said burner; means for operating said valve; an ignitor for fuel issuing from said burner; an electric circuit whereby said ignitor is operated when said 4 clrcuit is closed; a switch in sald c1rcu1t which is automatically actuated by said valve operating means to close said clrciut 

